The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-13
THE FOREST FIRES
IN TWO COUNTIES IN KANSAS,
Carry Death and Destruction Before Theu
Farm Houses aud Stock Destroyed
Sixteen People known to Have
Psrished Marrow Escapes.

ATcHisoN. KAs., April l2.-No less thar
fifteen persons have been burned TO destl
by the prairie fires which, starting nes
Nicodemus, Graham county, have swep
northwest on an air line into Morton
county.
The fire has destroyed everything on
path that is In places from two and hal
to seven miles wide-a great, roaring ser
OF flame, rolling in tremendous sheets un
dor the impetus Of the high wind which
prevailed all day Saturday and night.
Starting on the South Fork OF tho Solo.
mon river, In Graham county, the fire
swept north to the North Fork, where II
crossed at Edmond, station on the Cen.
tral Branch Railroad In Norton county,
and at laat accounts 1t was still sweepirip
northwest diagonally across Norton coun.
ty in the direction OF Decatur, the adioin.
ing county on the west, carrying deetruc.
ton and death in It's path.
Thousands OF head OF stock OF all kinda
have been burned, and thousands OF toms
OF nay, corn and wheat and from 100 to
IT'S houses and barns have been DESTROY.
ed. The people living along the line Of
the fire have been loft homeless and
destitute. ''-
1t IL impossible as yet to learn tho
names of those who perished in the
flames. Tremendous excitement praysils
all through the burnt district, which e1.
tends a distance OF over sixty miles in
length by two and q half to seven in
width, with the fire still spreading west
and northwest.
The lire is still raging furiously, and
the people along its path are terror strick.
en-. The destruction to the telegram
poies and wires between Greenleaf and
Edmond prevents the obtaining OF fur.
ther details. Relief will be forwarded at
once from towns east OF the fire line.
A soRRoCco OF FLAME.
A special to the Champion says: IRE.
ports concerning the destruction OF life
and property caused by the great prarie
fire that swept over the eastern portion Of
Norton and Graham counties Saturday
last are yet meagre and unsatisfactory, but
enough is known to appall the stoutest
heart. The fire started near Nicodemua,
in Graham county. The wind which was
blowing forty miles an hour carried
the flames over and through the
dry, grass at a frightful speed. Gen.
eral destruction 10 property COM
menced near Roscoe, Graham county.
Here the fires spread over the country for
fully two and half miles in width, and
as the wind carried it north, was constant
" spreading until it was seven miles
wide where it crossed the North Fork of
Solomon river, three miles east Of Dius.
more. Houses were burned and every
stable with stacks OF hay and cribs OF Grain
we're burned, leaving hundreds OF farmers
almost destitute. 1t is a pitiiul sight 10
pass over the burned district and Geo thou.
sands OF burned chickens, turkeys, hun.
dreds OF hogs, with occasional horses and
numerous cattle. Almost every farmer
lost from 60 to 500 bushels OF corn beside
small grain.
sINTEES LIVES LOST.
It is definitely know that from Is to IL
lives were lost in the two counties, but
the names have not been learned. Four
children perished in one family. At tho
same time another fire swept down the
South Fork OF Solomon to point near
Millbrook,. sweeping everything in its
path, burning six persons to death, father,
mother and four children, and a large
number OF cattle, horses, hoss and
poultry. In one instance wo.
man prematurely gave birth TO
a child. When the fire was discovered ap-
preaching, her husband with her in his
arms started for the plowed ground, but
before be reached it the woman's clothing
was on fire. He succeeded in putting It
out and saving her life. Tho babe, less
than an hour old, with the other mem.
bers Of the family WIS saved, but the
house and other property Oh the farm
were destroyed. Hundreds Of narrow es.
cnpes could be related. Saturday was
ifriHhtful day, one long to be remembered
by agrest many families in Norton and
Graham conntie5,